*Please note that we recommend implementing this system and starting in present time. Once you are familiar with it and have every step in place, then go to the piles, filing drawers, etc. to clear out and clean up. Paper is its own beast and is very overwhelming. If you desire the help of an organizer, please contact us.
iRAFT begins with INCOMING:
As we mentioned above, the information is coming from many places; the mail box is only one. Think about how much easier it is to start into your email because it is in your INBOX. So for the paper, choose a container that will hold a week’s worth of incoming paper and put everything there! This includes mail, flyers, notes, etc… You also need a place for thoughts, conversations and such to land. You might use an app on your smart phone, Evernote or a small spiral notebook.
Then once a week (or more often if needed) you will take all the incoming and sort it into four piles. You simply ask do I need to Read, take an Action, File or Toss. Then take the paper (or move the emails) into the each container or folder.
READ:
Choose a cool container for your reading that is staying at your desk, your reading chair and for on-the-go.
ACTION:
Every home and office needs an action container for those papers that need your attention such as bills to pay, errands to run and items to discuss with someone else. We suggest making your container vertical so that it is easy to find what you need and leave the other items organized. It is also nice to have it portable so it can move around your space.
FILE:
We often ask our clients to describe how they feel about FILING. We hear words like yuck, overwhelming, impossible, always behind, drawers are full. And there is a constant theme of not know what to keep or for how long. So start with setting up a “to file” container and then schedule time once a week or once a month to file, depending on your volume. If you really hate filing then get someone else to do it.
TOSS:
By sorting once a week into RAFT, your tossing of the paper is now easy. Have fun noticing how much of that paper pain is really toss papers. Of course you can still throw away junk mail and such before it even lands in your space.
To summarize the SYSTEM:
Daily – plop all the incoming paper and information into the container.
Weekly – take 5 minutes to sort into 4 piles – Read, Action, File, Toss. Then take each pile to it’s proper container.
Weekly – set your TimeTimer for 30 minutes and do the action papers that need to get done that week.
Monthly – take your To File pile and file into your FreedomFiler system.
The holiday season is in full swing and as much as we wish that everyone could move through this time joyfully and easily, we know it can also be challenging. We are here to help simplify this time with practical & meaningful tips. See below for our GIFT to you – all our top tips for home & holidays!!
Tip for your home: Simplify.
Start SMALL. Choose an easier project like your purse, junk drawer or top of the dresser to begin.
Pick ONE. Choose one tip, one home area or one project for each season of the year and let this be enough. Then enjoy your life and loved ones the rest of the time rather than stressing about the stuff.
Tip for your holidays: Make your own traditions.
It’s your life and your choice. Create your own meaningful traditions based on your family’s current values and desires, not just what has “always been done.” Why not set aside an evening in front of the christmas tree – go around and ask each person in the family what would mean the most to them? Then consciously choose and deepen your traditions.
Here are a few ideas from our lives –
Special one-on-one time
a sledding or skating outing
reading a chosen story before bed
giving to a family in need
a game night each week
choosing a theme for the year
making ornaments, cookies or candy
caroling with loved ones
Wishing you a magical and soulful holiday season – Marla, Kate & Team
Get all of our TOP TEN TIPS for Home & Holidaysin this eBook. This is our GIFT to you during the holidays! Feel free to share this with others in your life.
Visit Our Shop where all of our downloadable are 50% off for the month of December!
Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools for creating peace and happiness in our lives. It can can also support us on the days we feel low and in moving through tough times. So why is it so easy to forget and get caught up in the struggles or busyness of life? We have found that making gratitude a daily practice keeps it happening easily.
Here are 3 simple ways you can create a joyful ritual of celebrating all that you have each and every day. Whatever way you choose, commit to 21 days to create the new habit. You can choose one or mix them up!
1 – Get a Gratitude APP
On-the-go with you at all time
Set daily reminders
Many of them give you an inspirational tidbit after each entry
2 – Write it down
Keep a little gratitude notebook, journal or use your planner. You can even use 3×5 cards or post-it notes.
The easiest practice is to start or end your day writing down 3 things you are grateful for. Let them come to you easily and you might get surprised.
Want to take the STRESS out of packing? Wouldn’t it feel great to be all ready the day it is time to leave?
Get Ruth Hadlock’s 4 simple, yet powerful Tips for Travel. We are here to tell you they work!! Ruth is the owner of Streamlined Space and has a gift for making everything SIMPLER! Use these travel tips and ENJOY!
Watch the VIDEO below along with reading the TIPS!
My clients tell me they spend the day before their vacation running around in circle, frantically trying to pack for their trip! How can you make this process stress-free? Here are 4 suggestions.
Create a packing list. This sounds so remedial, but do you actually do it? It’s easy nowadays to keep a checklist in an app on your phone. It’s not that I’m trying to convince you to pack lighter; I’m simply encouraging people to pack the appropriate items for the trip you will be experiencing!
Staging. As with so many organizing projects, you need a place to lay out all your clothes and items. Do this at least 48 hours in advance. I’ve found that my clients pack too little or too much or not the right items because they do it last minute without thinking clearly.
Pack Correctly. Pack shoes against the edges of the suitcase. Roll your clothes rightly, placing larger, bulkier items at the bottom and ending with smaller, lighter ones. Put your toiletry kit and accessories on top. This way, you won’t have to sit on your suitcase anymore to be able to zip it! if you have dress clothes you don’t want wrinkled, lay them a the bottom of the suitcase, with the ends hanging out over the suitcase edge. Then fill the space with your rolled items and carefully fold the dress clothes ends on top. You can even use dry-cleaning bags to decrease wrinkles. Because the bag is slippery, creases won’t set in as much.
Get the right luggage and accessories. Here are some of my favorite items, in no particular order:
Compression Bag | Bag Bungee | Toiletry Kit
VIEWER HOMEWORK: On your next upcoming trip, commit to using a packing list and staging your items ahead of time. You can view my favorite items on the Resource Page of my website streamlinedspace.com.
Love traveling, but hate packing? Leave OUT the “just in case”…
Most of us say it and do it… “I’ll take that just in case. I’ll keep that just in case. I’ll buy that just in case.” When we live in this energy, we end up with far more than we need. Rather than helping us the just in case stuff just weighs us down. Our homes, offices and cars are bursting at the seams.
When we travel the just-in-case-items add bulk, weight and stress. And guess what, most of the time they do not get used. Extra clothes, shoes, accessories, toiletries, technology, and more get stuffed into luggage that we have to lug around and often have to pay more money for. Why do we do this to ourselves? The answer is obvious yet we can’t seem to break out of the cycle.
TRUE STORY from Marla – The last trip I took I had to ask my daughter Jessica to come help me lighten my load. Jessica is the one who finally got through to me about my just-in-case syndrome. She kept pointing it out to me until I could no longer stay in denial. So, even though I had done my very best packing my suitcase, I knew it was still too much! Jessica came over and helped me see three things I really didn’t need to take. After removing them, my suitcase was just right!! i let myself relish the free feeling all week long on my trip. Have fun with this.
Focus on what you most need and remember that less is more when traveling.
Here are 3 tips to help you lighten your load when packing:
Only pack enough clothes for half the number of days you will be gone. You can re-wear combinations and even hand wash items if necessary.
Wear the bulkiest, heaviest items to free up space in your luggage.
Be realistic about what you will actually need and want. Try asking yourself questions as you map it out. Will you really straight-iron your hair? Will you really need 3 different pairs of shoes? Will you really read 3 books? Get honest.
We would love to hear any other TIPS you have or stories you wish to share!
